The Tithe Farm Unicursal Double Archimedian Spiral Floral Labyrinth

The Tithe Farm Unicursal Double Archimedean Spiral Floral Labyrinth is the only one of its kind in existence. Constructed in May 2012 in a field on the outskirts of North Somercotes in
Lincolnshire, it is set within a circle of trees of diameter one chain or 22 yards.

On entering the Labyrinth one turns left and follows a one yard wide sunken path spiralling clockwise between ridges bedecked with wild flowers to the centre, marked by a Giant Redwood tree.
The path then spirals outwards, anticlockwise, leaving the labyrinth at a point that corresponds with the alignment of the rising Sun at Midsummer.

Here are a few snaps, taken on May the 13th 2012. Top, the site is a five acre field in which a 22 yard (one chain) diameter circle of tree seedlings were planted a few years ago. There are
oak, ash, birch, poplar, willow, elder, holly, sycamore, and in the centre, a giant redwood. Well, not exactly giant yet - it's got another couple of hundred of feet to grow. Middle picture shows
some of the diggers hard at it (there were others but cider and chocolate brownies meant they missed this photo). Bottom picture shows some of
the diggers making the first tread round the ~190 yard path.

There is a lot of tidying up to do and the banks will then be sown and planted with wild flowers and anything we can get hold of to make it all look pretty.

And here it is in July 2012. We sowed lots of wild-flower seed (and some not so wild) and did no weeding except for taking grass out of the top of the banks.

By mid-August the flowers have really filled up the space.

So here we are a year on. This picture was taken in June 2013. Things have matured considerably, with bienniels such as the foxgloves now dominating the
flowerscape.

By the beginning of August 2013 the Labyrinth had taken a misty sort of complexion, dominated by the white wild carrots and pale clary sages. The colourul blaze of poppies has come and gone earlier this year as the seeds got an earlier start and the foxglove too are now ripening their seeds.

May 2014 and the Labyrinth is much greener after a mild spring. Plenty of flowers coming out.

The Louth Area Group of Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust has it's own blog and website

Here is a list of flowers we found on our plot in 2012:

Genus Species

Common

Aethusa cynapium

Fool's Parsley

Aggrostemma gothago

Corncockle

Alchemilla vulgaris

Lady's Mantle

Alliaria petiolata

Garlic Mustard, Jack-by-the-hedge, Poor-man's-mustard

Anthemis arvensis

Corn Chamomile

Anthriscus sylvestris

Cow parsley

Arctium lappa

Burdock

Armoracia rusticana

Hprse Radish

Bellis perenis

Daisy

Calystegia sepium

Hedge Bindweed

Capsella bursa-pastoris

Shepherd's Purse

Centranthus ruber

Red Valerian

Cichorium intybus

Chicory

Cirsium vulgare

Spear Thistle

Convolvulis arvenis

Field Bindweed

Crepis biennis

Rough Hawksbeard

Crepis capillaris

Smooth Hawk's-beard

Digitalis purpurea

Foxglove

Dipsacus fullonum

Teasel

Epilobium angustifolium

Rosebay Willow Herb

Epilobium montanum

Broad-leaved Willow-herb

Epilobium hirsutum

Great Willowherb

Epilobium parviflorum

Hoary Willowherb

Equisetum arvenis

Horsetail

Euphorbia peplus

Petty Spurge

Fallopia convolvulus

Black Bindweed

Galanthus nivales

Snowdrop

Galium aparine

Goose Grass, Cleavers

Geranium pyranaicum

Hedgerow crane's bill

Geranium robertianum

Herb Robert

Geranium molle

Dove's-Foot Crane's-Bill

Geranium disectum

Cut-Leaved Crane's-Bill

Geum urbanum

Wood Avens or Herb Bennet

Glechoma hederacea

Ground Ivy

Hedera helix

Ivy

Heracleum sphondylium

Common Hogweed

Hieracium aurantiacum

Orange Hawkweed

Hieracium sp

Hawkweed

Humulus lapulus

Hop

Hypericum androsaemum

Tutsan

Hypericum perforatum

Perforate St John's-Wort

Hypericum tetrapterum

Square-stalked St. John's-wort

Hypochoeris radicata

Catsear

Lamium album

White dead nettle

Lamium purpereum

Purple Dead Nettle

Lamium amplexicaule

Henbit

Lamium galeobdolon

Yellow Archangel, Yellow dead nettle

Lapsana communis

Nipplewort

Leontodon hispidis

Rough Hawkbit

Leucanthemu vulgare

Ox-eye Daisy

Lornica periclymenum

Honeysuckle

Lotus corniculatus

Bird's Foot Trefoil

Lysimachia vulgaris

Yellow Loosestrife

Malva sylvestris

Common Mallow

Matricaria recutita

Mayweed

Myosotis sylvatica

Wood Forget-me-Not

Myostis arvensis

Field Forget-me-not

Oenothera biennis

Evening Primrose

Ophrys apifera

Bee Orchid

Papaver rhoeas

Corn Poppy

Persicaria maculosa

Redshank

Petasites hybridus

Butterbur

Phragmites communis

Reed

Plantago major

Common Plantain

Plantago lanceolata

Ribwort Plantain

Primula veris

Cowslip

Primula vulgaris

Primrose

Ranunculus ficaria

Lesser Celandine

Ranunculus repens

Buttercup

Ranunculus acris

Meadow Buttercup

Ranunculus sceleratus

Celery-leafed Buttercup

Rorippa nasturtium-aquaticum

Watercress

Rorippa palustris

Marsh Yellow Cress

Rumex conglomeratus

Clustered Dock

Saponaria officinalis

Soapwort

Scabiosa columbaria

Small Scabious

Scrophularia nodosa

Common Figwort

Senecio vulgaris

Groundsel

Senecio jacobaea

Ragwort

Silene latifolia

White Campion

Silene dioica

Red/Pink Campion

Sisymbrium officinale

Hedge Mustard

Solanum nigrum

Black Nightshade

Solidago canadensis

Canadian goldenrod

Sonchus arvensis

Perennial or Corn Sow Thistle

Sonchus oleraceus

Smooth Sow-Thistle

Sonchus asper

Prickly Sow-Thistle

Stachys sylvatica

Hedge Woundwort

Symphytum officinale

Comfrey

Tanacteum parthenium

Feverfew

Taraxacum officinale

Dandelion

Torilis japonica

Upright Hedge Parsley

Tragopogon pratensis

Goat's Beard

Trifolium dubium

Lesser Trefoil

Urtica dioica

Nettle

Verbena officialis

Vervain

Veronica chamaedrys

Germander Speedwell

Vicia sativa

Common Vetch

Vicia hirsuta

Hairy Tare

Vinca minor

Periwinkle

Viola odorata

Sweet Violet

Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust has a programme of seed collection from its reserves for propagation and replanting in new sites, adding to Lincolnshire's biodiversity. Here are the seeds we are
propagating this winter for planting out in spring 2013 at various sites around Lincolnshire.

Genus

Species

Common Name

Collected from

Collection date

Agrimonia

eupatoria

Agrimony

Blackstonia

perfoliata

Yellow-wort

Red Hill Regeneration Area

2012

Borago

officinalis

Borage

Caister

2012

Centaurea

scabrosa

Greater Knapweed

Red Hill Regeneration Area

2012

Centaurea

nigra

Common Knapweed

Centaurium

erythraea

Common Centaury

A16/M180 flyover

2012

Clinopodium

vulgaris

Wild Basil

Red Hill Regeneration Area

2011

Erigeron

acer

Blue Fleabane

North Lincs B1211/A180 underpass

2012

Filipendia

vulgaris

Dropwort

Duke's Covet

2012

Filipendula

ulmaria

Meadowsweet

Galium

verum

Lady's Bedstraw

Red Hill Regeneration Area

2011

Gentianella

amarella

Autumn Gentian

Red Hill Regeneration Area

2012

Geranium

pratense

Meadow Cranesbill

Helianthemum

nummularium

Common Rock-rose

Ancaster Valley

2010

Hippocrepis

comesa

Horseshoe Vetch

Duke's Covet

2012

Knautia

arvensis

Field Scabious

Lathyrus

pratensis

Meadow Vetchling

Lincs roadside

2012

Leontodon

hispidus

Rought Hawkbit

Red Hill Regeneration Area

2012

Leucanthemum

vulgare

Oxeye Daisy

Timberland Churchyard

2012

Malve

moschata

Musk Mallow

Onobrychis

viciifolia

Sainfoin

Great Casterton Road Banks

2012

Ononis

spinosa

Spiny Restharrow

Pickworth Village Green originally Ancaster Valley

2011

Pimpinella

saxifraga

Burnet saxifrage

Walot Village Green

2011

Plantago

media

Hoary Plantain

Lincolnshire

Ranunculus

bulbosus

Bulbous Buttercup

Walcot nr. Folkingham

2012

Scabrosa

columbaria

Small Scabious

Red Hill Regeneration Area

2012

Silene

vulgaris

Bladder Campion

Tragopogon

pratensis

Goat's Beard

Caister Hight Street

2012

Trifolium

ochroleucon

Sulphur Clover

Great Casterton Road Banks

2012

Vicia

cracea

Tufted Vetch

Lincs Wolds road verges

2012

11th December 2012. Latest additions, at the entrance to the Labyrynth, are some young birch trees, Betula albosinensis 'Pink Champagne' (Chinese Red Birch) supplied by the rather wonderful
Stone Lane nursery. They specialise in birches and alders, both good for pollen in the earliest part of the spring. And amongst them we've planted some
English bluebells, Hyathinsoides non-scripta and the autumn flowereing saffron crocus, Crocus sativa.